1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a single point engraving tip, more particularly, to an improved single point engraving tip for use in delicate hand engraving and stone setting in the hand engraving and jewelry fields.
2. Description of Prior Art
The traditional hand engraving tool which has been in existence for centuries, consists of a tool bit (also known as a tool tip or graver point or burin tip) inset into a small round handle that is made to fit into the palm of the human hand. The tool or burin tip is pushed through the material being cut. If the engraver desires to engrave deeper, the tool tip is used with a small hammer for hammering the tool cutter tip through the metal. This is known as the hammer and chisel method. In recent times, engravers have begun to use power palm push gravers for engraving such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,256, to Lindsay. This power tool has the benefit of power plus the comfort of the traditional palm push graver. Numerous books and publications, some even before the turn of century disclose methods to shape the point of a V shaped tool tip. The prior art methods rely on a single heel angle at the under side and either side of the V at the tip. A problem that arises from this type of point is that in order to receive sufficient heel running up the side of the V on the underside, the trailing heel length becomes very long. This type of heel is helpful in providing the heel up the V sides at the cutting edges for deep engraving but it has the adverse effect of having a very long trailing heel. When a person engraves with this type of cutter in a straight line, the long heel is not a problem as it will trail behind in a straight furrow created by the cutting edges. However, when the engraver wants to cut a curve or turn a corner, the trailing end of the back of the long heel will drag on the outer side of the V furrow. The result is an unclean cut with a burr pushed up on the outer side of the curve. Engravers have compensated for this by simply placing a smaller heel on the tool tip so that the trailing heel is smaller which helps for the fine, shallow engraving but this same point does not have the benefit of having the heel running all the way up the sides of the V right at the tip for deep engraving use. The benefit of the heel running all the way up the sides of the V right at the cutting edge is that the engraver may engrave much deeper without the tool diving. Some prior art publications that teach how to sharpen a graver tip went as far as to make a special graver for turning right and another for turning left and a third for a straight cut.
Article tilted “Testing Hendick's Tool Geometry”, author: Don Glaser published in: How-To Handbook, Published by Firearms Engravers Guild of America, 1997, discloses a tool tip using a square shank tool blank with a widened 110, 120 and 130 degree V with a very small heel. The heel described in this article is similar to other prior art described above. The tip illustrated in the article has a very small triangle at the extreme tip. It is labeled “heel” in the illustration on page 35 in the article. This wide V tip graver as illustrated is also illustrated and described with a secondary, very small face (less than 0.1 nm) on the front of the tool for blunting the point off that will provide a stronger point as described in the article. However, the heel disadvantages are still present in this prior art embodiment. It places a very small, triangular heel on the tip that will work nicely for finer engraving, however in order for this tool tip to be used for deeper cuts, a larger heel must be added and like other prior art in this configuration, an enlarged heel will be a large triangular heel with the undesirable long trailing heel. A tool tip with a larger triangle heel could then be used for deeper engraving cuts but the long trailing heel would drag during a curved line cut of deep and shallow engraving similar to other prior art.
Publication titled “A Practical Course in Jewelry Engraving” by Albert A. Winter published in 1939 discloses two sets of illustrations, one on page 45 titled “Correct Method of Graver Sharpening, Showing Graver Heeled at Various angles” and a second set of illustrations on page 46 titled “Incorrect Way, Showing Gravers Brought Back to Original Sharpening”. In the first illustrations titled “Correct Method . . . etc . . . ” the graver heels are disclosed as other prior art previously discussed, with the heels running a long distance on the bottom of the graver that like other prior art will drag when cutting curved lines and while turning tight corners. In the second set of illustrations titled “Incorrect way . . . etc . . . ”, drawings of the bottom of gravers are shown with what the heel would look like when the face angle of the graver is changed. The author of the publication preferred the graver face angle at approximately 45 degrees. The drawings show what the heel would look like from the bottom of the graver when at a greater or less than 45 degree face with lines to represent what the heel would look like from the bottom when the face angle is brought back to 45 degrees. The drawings are therefore illustrating more than one graver in one illustration by showing what would be removed or added when a graver's face is brought back to the author's desired 45 degree face angle. Two side view drawings on the right of this illustration page help to show what the author is describing concerning his desired 45 degree face angle.
In the art of hand engraving, jewelry engraving and stone setting, a tool tip is needed that will provide the benefit of a heel running the length of the cutting edge V for deep engraving but without having a long trailing heel that will drag during shallow engraving or deeper engraving when used in a curved line or turning a sharp corner while executing an engraving cut.